1000s of lives saved during Ebola outbreak

A photobook on safe childbirth

The unprecedented 2014 Ebola virus disease outbreak captured the world’s attention. The international community, led by the UN, demonstrated its capacity to respond effectively and efficiently. The UN and its partners – international and local NGOs, continental and regional organizations, bilateral donors, and the private sector – showed global solidarity in providing a much-needed coordinated response.

But the nature of the crisis highlighted the need for coordinated ‘multicountry cross-border’ approaches to respond effectively. Since the outbreak, UNFPA has pioneered this regional cooperation with the Mano River Midwifery Response (MRMR) initiative. Implemented in close consultation with the Mano River Union Secretariat, this flagship initiative aims to establish the basis for a strong and resilient health system that will continue to provide essential maternal and reproductive health services even during crises like the Ebola outbreak.

This “1000s of lives saved during Ebola outbreak” photo book presents some results of this life-saving collaboration between UNFPA, the governments of the three countries worst affected by the Ebola outbreak, the Mano River Union Secretariat and the Government of Japan.

Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 to 2015
The global maternal death ratio fell by 44 per cent between 1990 and 2015. The total number of maternal deaths around the world dropped from about 532,000 in 1990 to an estimated 303,000 in 2015. This equates to an...